2025 IESA Cross Country State Preview: 4A

The IESA State Cross Country Championships have arrived, bringing together the top middle school talent from across Illinois for one final showdown of the season. Months of training, countless early mornings, and miles upon miles all lead to this moment at the legendary course in Normal. With team titles, individual glory, and season-long bragging rights on the line, expect the intensity to be unmatched and the races to deliver the drama that only a state meet can provide.

Girls Team Projections

Girls Team Preview

This will be one of the best team battles of the weekend, featuring three of the top squads in the state. Batavia Rotolo enters as the favorite after a phenomenal Sectional performance that saw their 1-5 split at just 16 seconds. Settler’s Hill is a very fast course for middle school runners this time of year, so times might be a bit slower at the State Meet, but this group has the talent to shine anywhere. On their best day, Rotolo could have three to four all-staters. Sam Deane, Eme Helfer, and Devyn Korn are strong contenders for all-state honors, while Adrienne Castillo, Rebecca Halsall, and Sarah Kennedy are capable of breaking into that group if things go right. For Rotolo to win, they’ll need to keep that 1-5 split under 20 seconds. Minooka will be in pursuit but faces a tough challenge. They match up well with Rotolo through their first four runners, but their 35 second 1-5 split at Sectionals might be too wide to close the gap. Elsie Thomas and Addy Vahl should both be solidly in the all-state race, with Rowen Slowinski and Gabby Hamilton capable of sneaking into the all-state positions on a strong day. Mt. Prospect Lincoln was outstanding at Sectionals, defeating a very strong Old Quarry team. Amelia Kronforst and Julia Adamczyk will lead the way, both in contention for top five finishes, while Alexandra Koulentes is a legitimate top 15 threat. The key for Lincoln will be getting Lily Ryan and Whitney Kronforst under 13:00 to stay in the trophy hunt. Old Quarry, who began the season as the state’s top ranked team, could still shake things up. Julia Farley will be in the mix for a top five individual finish, but the real question will be whether their pack of Rylee Russell, Kaida Mescher, Raye Pavlis, and Lexi Lewandowski can dip into the 12:30s, something they’ll likely need to do to claim third place. Arlington Heights South also deserves mention after a strong Sectional showing, finishing third behind Lincoln and Old Quarry. Their path to a trophy will be challenging, but with two strong front runners in Isabella Caldera and Kaylee Leone, they have the firepower to make things interesting.

Girls Individual Projections

Girls Individual Preview

The individual race should be an exciting one, featuring plenty of top-tier talent. Madeline Serur of Arlington Heights Thomas enters as the favorite. Her only loss this season came back in August at the Artman Invite to Gianna Suavada, and she’s been dominant ever since. Serur has won the Troy Invite, Westview Hills Invite, and Fox Trot Invite, three of the biggest meets of the year, and looks poised to run in the 11:20s, with a personal best of 11:26. Last season, Serur led the State Meet until the final half mile before fading to finish 14th, but she’s a much different athlete now. A 2:17 800m runner, she has the speed and confidence to sit back early and unleash a powerful kick over the final 400 meters to outkick anyone in the field. Chloe Crim of Shorewood Troy, last year’s fourth-place finisher and the top returner from that race, is expected to challenge Serur again. She went head to head with her at the Westview Hills Invite and finished runner up. For Crim and anyone else hoping to beat Serur, the key will be forcing a fast early pace to prevent a sit and kick finish that plays to Serur’s strengths. Amelia Kronforst of Mt. Prospect Lincoln has been on fire recently, running 11:52 to take second to Serur at Sectionals and holding a PR of 11:41. She’ll be in the mix for second place, along with Julia Farley of Old Quarry, who was third in that same Sectional. Farley, who finished sixth at state last year, thrives in big races and could easily dip under 11:50 here. Other names to watch include Julia Adamczyk of Mt. Prospect Lincoln, Abby Denneen of Oak Park Brooks, Callie Ding of Barrington Station, and Elsie Thomas of Minooka, all strong contenders for top-five finishes.

Boys Team Projections

Boys Team Preview

The race for trophies in the 3A boys division could be the tightest of any at Maxwell Park on Saturday. Heading into the week, it seemed unlikely that anyone could challenge Geneva North, but several contenders have now emerged. Geneva North still enters as the favorite, led by superstar Jacob Calvario, who will be in the hunt for the individual state title. His teammate Jonathan Lando should also be battling for a top-10 finish, while Owen Knecht and Daniel Dempsey could find themselves in all-state contention on the right day. The key for Geneva North will be tightening their 1 to 5 split to under 50 seconds. Edwardsville Liberty has looked strong all season and was once the top-ranked team in the state. They feature a front-runner in Evan Thompson, who will be aiming for a top-10 finish, and Gage Gusewelle, who’s also firmly in the all-state mix and could place inside the top 20. Harrison Jackstadt and Luke Geno could also grab all-state spots if they run their best. Like Geneva North, Liberty will need to keep its 1 to 5 split under 50 seconds to have a shot at the title. Arlington Heights Thomas had a huge breakthrough at Sectionals and has firmly entered the trophy conversation. They’re led by the trio of Austin Ryter, Ryan Pham, and Joel Parisi, all of whom will contend for all-state honors. Ryter and Pham, in particular, should be battling for top-10 finishes. If Thomas can get its fourth and fifth runners under 11:30, they could be in the running for a first- or second-place finish. Teams like Batavia (Rotolo), Woodridge (Jefferson), and Edwardsville (Lincoln) will also be in the mix here for trophies.

Boys Individual Projections

Boys Team Projections

Jacob Calvario of Geneva North enters the meet as the favorite to bring home the state title. He’s lost only once this season, to Henry Globach at the Fox Trot Invite. Calvario looked outstanding at Settlers Hill during the Sectional, running 10:33, and we could easily see him dip into the 10:20s this weekend. Emilio Palmer of Rolling Meadows Plum Grove also looked phenomenal at Sectionals, winning in 10:45 by a wide margin. While he’ll likely be battling for second, don’t be surprised if he challenges Calvario up front. Evan Thompson of Edwardsville Liberty ran an excellent race at Sectionals as well, covering two miles in 10:35. He’s been trending upward over the past few weeks and looks ready to post a time in the 10:30s here. Wyatt Schmidt of Sycamore has had a tremendous season filled with big wins, and everything came together at Sectionals where he ran 10:37 to finish second behind Calvario. Expect him to be a serious wildcard. Finishing second wouldn’t be a shock. Other names to watch include Ryder Ethridge of Manhattan, Preston Brown of Edwardsville Lincoln, Austin Ryter of Arlington Heights Thomas, and Ben Eliopulos of Woodridge Jefferson, who will likely be battling for a top-five finish.